In order to reduce carbon dioxide gas emissions of motor vehicles, manufacturers are looking to reduce the mass of these vehicles and also the rolling resistance of the tires fitted thereto. This rolling resistance can be reduced by increasing the outside diameter of the tires and therefore that of the wheels.
However, that leads to an increase in the mass of the wheel and therefore that of the vehicle.
Hence, one known solution is to use materials that are more lightweight than steel to make the rim, such as aluminium alloys. However, such rims, while they are more lightweight and have a more open visual appearance thus making it easier for the heat of the brakes to be dissipated, are not sufficiently resistant to knocks such as potholes and/or knocks against kerbs.
Specifically, the knocks experienced by such rolling elements may cause one or more of the components of the rolling element (the tire and/or the rim) to break.
Thus there is still a need for a rolling assembly that is more lightweight than rolling assemblies with steel rims, and which exhibits better resistance to knocks because of better protection of the tire, while at the same time maintaining the same high level of tire roadholding performance, in particular its ability to develop high cornering or drift thrust.